Textile material



Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v TEXTILE MATERIAL Henry Dreyfus,- London, and William Alexander Dickie,

Spondon, near Derby, England, as-

signors to Celanese Corporation of America. a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application December 10, 1930, Serial No. 501,461. In Great Britain December 14 Claims. (Cl. 28-1) This invention relates to the manufacture of textile fabrics, more particularly textile fabrics exhibiting crpe effects.

Textile materials exhibiting crepe effects have long been obtained by employing in their construction highly twisted yarns (hereinafter referred to as crpe yarns or crepe threads) made of natural silk in the gummed state, the crepe effects appearing when the gum is subsequently removed by a suitable scouring or like treatment.

Crepe effects are, however, only obtained with difficulty by employment of highly twisted crpe threads made of cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose. Thus, for instance,

a fabric containing highly twisted weft threads fabrics by swelling some or, all of the filaments or fibers constituting the crpe' threads.

Well-known preparations for effecting swelling of cellulose and cellulose derivatives are aqueous or other solutions of various inorganic or organic compounds, for example thiocyanates, organic acids, e. g. acetic acid, lactic acid or aromatic sulphonic acids, alcohols, e. g. methyl or ethyl alcohol, ketones, e. g. acetone or methylethyl-ketone, esters, e. g. methyl acetate, or ethyl lactate, and amines, e. g. aniline. Cellulosic materials, e. g. cotton or regenerated cellulose artificial silk, are best caused to swell by means of the solutions of inorganic compounds, whereas cellulose ester or ether materials may be swollen by any of the aforesaid solutions. These swelling preparations comprise in general two parts, namely an organic or inorganic agent hereinafter referred to as a swelling agent, and water or other liquid, hereinafter referred to as an auxiliary liquid, capable of causing the said swelling agent to exert its effect.

In carrying out the new process of producing crepe effects forming the subject of 'the present invention, the swelling of the filaments or fibres of the crepe threads may be effected in any desired manner, for example by treatment with one of the aforesaid swelling preparations comprising one or more swelling agents and one or more auxiliary liquids suitably selected according to the nature of the filaments to be swollen.

For instance where the crepe thread filaments to be swollen are made of cellulose acetate or. other organic substitution derivatives of cellulose an aqueous solution of acetic acid may be employed as swelling agent. Again, swelling of filaments of organic substitution derivatives of cellulose may be effected by means of solvents or gelatinizing agents for the same, preferably applied in solution in liquids having little or no As i swelling or solvent action on the materials. examples of such solvents or gelatinizing agents may be mentioned tetrachlorethane, chloroform, dichlorethylene, ethylene dichloride, chloretone, and other halogenated compounds, also ketones for example cyclohexanone, esters particularly esters of high boiling point e. g. diethyl phthalate, and arylsulphonamides and their derivatives substituted in the nucleus and/ or in an amide group e. g. a xylene-monomethyl sulphonamide or a mixture of xylene monomethyl sulphonamides. Alcohols, and aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons may be employed as vehicles for the aforesaid solvents or gelatinizingagents. Treatment with solvents or gelatinizing agentsfor the material of thev crepe thread filaments may be followed by drying, scouring in aqueous soap or other solutions or any other desired finishing treatment.

Preferably, however, the swelling of crepe thread filaments or fibres is effected by first treating or impregnating them withra swelling agent for the material of the filaments and then subjecting them to the action of water or other auxiliary liquid, as hereinbefore defined, capable of causing the swelling agent to exert its swelling effect. Thus, for example, a fabric comprising highly twisted crepe threads of cellulose acetate may be treated with one of the aforementioned swelling agents, for example absolute ethyl alcohol or acetic acid applied in the form of a benzene Further, where the crepe threads are made of or contain artificial filaments or fibres, the said swelling agents may be incorporated in the artificial filaments or fibres during processes of their manufacture. For example, they may be incorporated in solutionsof cellulose esters or ethers and the latter converted into filaments by extrusion into an-evaporative atmosphere or into a coagulating bath as may be desired or(requisite. As examples of suitable swelling agents for incorporation in spinning solutions may be mentioned ammonium, calcium or other thiocyanate' most of which have the advantage of being soluble in acetone. In this manner there may be produced filaments which, after forming into highly twisted crepe threads, yield fabrics which may readily be caused to exhibit crepe effects by simple treat-.

. ment with an auxiliary liquid.

- The application of swelling agents to fabrics or crepe threads or filaments to be used in preparing crepe threads may be effected in various ways depending upon the nature of the latter and on the nature of the swelling agents to be employed. Thus, for example, certain swelling agents e. g. ethyl or methyl alcohol, may be applied directly in liquid form to fabrics, crepe threads, or filaments made ofor containing cellulose derivatives; in other cases however, particularly where the'swelling agents have 'a strong solvent action on the e. g. 50% benzene and 50% alcohol.

be taken that the acetic acid, acetone or other materials of the fabrics, crepe threads, or filaments, it is preferable to apply the said swelling agents in less concentrated form, for example in the form of vapours, diluted or not with other" vapours or gases, or in admixture with suitable diluents; As such diluents, aliphatic hydrocarbons, for example petroleum ether, and aromatic hydrocarbons, for example benzene or toluene, have been found particularly suitable when treating'fabrlcs, crepe threads etc. made of or containswelling agent is not present in such proportion as to dissolve or damage the materials of the fabrics, crepe threads, or filaments, under the conditions of application. V

In general, in carrying the invention into effect according to the preferred form, the treatment with swelling agents of'the fabrics, or of the crepe threads prior to fabric formation, is preferably carried'out in the absence or substantial absence of water or other auxiliary liquid. We have found, howeventhat in some cases the presence of a small proportion of an auxiliary liquid is not deleterious; for example, when ethyl or methyl alcohol or a; mixture of benzene with acetic acid or acetone is being applied as swelling agent to filaments of cellulose derivatives, a small proportion of water'may be present if desired. Where water or other auxiliary liquid is present, however, the proportion should not be so great as to cause the swelling agent to swell the crepe thread filaments substantially.

'Where, however, swelling agents are applied to or incorporated in filaments or yarns prior to the conversion of the same into crepe threads by twisting to a high degree, it is not essential that the application or incorporation should be eifected in substantial absence of water or other auxiliary liquid since the latter, if present, may subsequently be removed, e. g. by drying, and the filaments or yarns allowed to return to the unswollen state. Thus for instance an untwisted or slightly twisted yarn of cotton or cellulose acetate filaments may be impregnated with an aqueous solution of a thiocyanate or other swelling agent, dried to remove water, twisted to a high degree and the resulting crpe threads woven into a fabric, which on treatment with water maybe caused to exhibit crepe efiects.

.Fabrics containing crepe threads of filaments or fibres impregnated with swelling agents may be treated with water or other appropriate auxiliary liquids aqueous or otherwise, in any desired manner in order to effect crping, i; e. the production of the desired crepe effects. A crping treatment with water may for example, be efiected at ordinary or raised temperature and with the addition or not of soaps, wetting agents, salts, acids,

' or any other substances designed to accentuate or otherwise modify the crping action of the water. If desired, the crping treatment may be combined with another subsequent treatment,

for example with the dyeing of the fabric.

In producing crepe effects on fabrics in accordance with the invention theswelling of the then treating the fabrics with water or other suitable liquid. v

- The regulation of the degree of swelling may be effected in any desired manner. Thus the swelling agents and/or water or other auxiliary liquids may be appliedin quantities restricted to those .required to produce swelling without undue softening, Again, the action of water or other liquid, or the action of a bath adapted to swell.

the filaments or fibres of the crepe threads may be modified by suitable additions, e. g. metal salts and/or by proper selection. of the temperature or other conditions of application.

If desired the crepe threads may be sized at any suitable stage, e. g. before or after twisting to the requisite high degree or before or after incorporation of swelling agents therein. Preferably such sizing and the after-treatments toefiect swelling are effected in such a manner that the sizing material swells without being converted into a very soft or yieldable form. Thus ,by judicious selection of sizing material and method of swelling, both the filaments of the crepe threads and a size thereon may be caused to swell and enhanced crpe effects secured. In such case the swelling of the filaments and the-swelling of a size thereon may be effected either simultaneously, or successively in either order.

The invention is particularly applicable to the production of crepe effects on fabrics comprising crepe threads. made of or containing filaments of 75 organic derivatives of cellulose, for example cellulose esters e. g. cellulose acetate, formate, proexample cotton, silk or a regenerated cellulose type of artificial silk.

The degree of twist imparted to the yarns or threads serving to give the crepe effects may be similar to that commonly employed in the production of crepe threads from silk in the gummed state, but anyother suitable degree of twist may be employed according to the effects it is desired to produce. -The crpe threads may be sized in any desired or suitable manner and at any suitable stage, for example prior to twisting.

The highly twisted crepe threads may be inc'orporated in the fabrics in any suitable manner; for example the weft alone may be wholly or partially composed of such threads, or the warp may also contain them. In general it is found convenient to employ threads. of relatively low twist in the warp and to employ as the weft both crepe threads having a left hand twist and crepe threads having a right hand twist. The threads having right and left hand twist respectively may be incorporated in any convenient manner, for example pairs of weft threads of right hand twist may alternate with pairs of threads of left hand twist.

If desired composite-crepe threads may be prepared by doubling crpe threads impregnated or treatedwith swelling agents with crepe threads v may be produced.

not so treated. By weaving such threads into fabrics, with or without other threads whether of high or low twist, and subsequently causing the material of the treated threads to swell, fabrics exhibiting a variety of fancy and other effects Again, if desired, local crepeeffects' may be producedin accordance with the invention, upon textile fabrics containing highly twisted crepe threads, by effecting the swelling of the material of the crepe threads at selected portions only of the fabrics. Thus solutions adapted to swell, if necessary after suitable thickening, may be printed or stencilled on the materials whereby brocade or similar effects may be produced. Again, a swelling agent only may be applied 10-- cally and the materials subsequently subjected to the action of water or other suitable liquid adapted to swell the crpe thread materials in the presence of the swelling agent.

The following examples show the best ways known to us of carrying the invention into effect:

Example 1 Cellulose acetate yarn is immersed for seconds in commercial dichlorethylene. and is then twisted to form a crepe thread. The treated and twisted thread is then woven into a warp of cellulose acetate threads, two picks of thread of left hand twist alternating with two picks of thread of right hand twist. The resulting fabric is then scoured in an aqueous scouring bath. A cellulose acetate fabric exhibiting crpe'effects is thus obtained.

Example 2 Cellulose acetate yarn is soaked for a short time in a 5 per cent solution of chloroform in benzene or in a 10 per cent solution of tetrachlorethane in benzene. The yarn is then twisted and woven into a fabric as described in Example 1. The further treatment is also as described in Example 1 and like results areobtained.

- Example 3 Cellulose acetate yarn is twisted to 60 turns per 'inchon a twisting machine, the operation being so conducted that the yarn passes through a 5 per cent solution of benzyl alcohol in benzene prior to reaching the take-up bobbin. The treated and twisted yarn is then woven into a fabric in the manner described in Example 1, the further treatment of the fabric being also as described in that example.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isf 1. Process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepe effects which comprises treating cellulose acetate yarns with an agent adapted to swell cellulose acetate in the presence of water, twisting the yarn to a high degree, weaving the yarns into fabrics and subjecting the fabrics to the action of an aqueous medium.

- 2. Process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepe effects which comprises treating cellulose acetate yarns with benzyl alcohol, twisting the yarn to a high degree, weaving the yarn into fabrics and subjecting the fabrics to the action of an aqueous medium.

3. Process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepe effects which comprises treating cellulose acetate yarns with ethyl alcohol, twisting the yarn to a high degree, weaving the yarns into fabrics and subjecting the fabrics tothe action of an aqueous medium.

4. Process of producing crepe threads which comprises impregnating threads containing cellulose acetate with a substance adapted to cause swelling of cellulose acetate when the threads are treated with water and twisting the threads to a high degree. 5. Process of producing crepe threads which comprises treating threads containing cellulose acetatewith ethyl alcohol and twisting the threads to a high degree. a

6. The process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepe effects which comprises the operations of twisting threads comprising filaments or organic derivatives of cellulose to a crepe twist and of subjecting the threads to an agent adapted to swell the filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose when the threads are treated with a given liquid, forming a fabric containing such threads and then treating said fabrics with said liquid.

'7. The process of producing fabrics exhibiting:

subjecting the threads to an agent adapted to swell the filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose when the threads are treated with water, incorporating such threads in-a'fabric and then treating the fabric with water.

9. The process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepeefiects which comprises the operations of I twisting threads comprising filaments of cellulose acetate to a crepe twist and of subjecting the threads to an agent adapted to swell the filaments of cellulose acetate when the threads are treated with water, incorporating such threads in a fabric and then treating the fabric with water.

10. Process of producing crepe threads which comprises subjecting threads comprisingfilaments of organic derivatives of cellulose to an organic swelling agent for the organic derivative of cellulose and then twisting the threads to a high degree.

11. The process of producingfabrics exhibiting crepe effects which comprises twisting threads comprising filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose to a crepe twist, subjecting the so twisted threads to an agent adapted to swell the filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose when the threads are treated with a given liquid, forming a fabric containing such threads and then treating said fabrics with said liquid.

12. The process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepe effects which comprises twisting threads comprising filaments of cellulose acetate to a crepe twist, subjecting the so twisted threads to an agent adapted to swell the filaments of cellulose acetate when the threads are treated with a given liquid, forming a fabric containing such threads and then treating said fabric with said liquid.

13. The process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepe efiects which comprises twisting threads comprising filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose to a crepe twist, subjecting the so twisted threads to an agent adapted to swell the filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose when the threads are treated with water, incorporating such threads in a fabric and then treating the fabric with water.

14. The process of producing fabrics exhibiting crepe effects which comprises twisting threads comprising filaments of cellulose acetate to a crepe twist, subjecting the so twisted threads to an agent adapted to swell the filaments of cellulose acetate when the threads are treated with waterpincorporating such threads in a fabric and then treating the fabric with water. 7

' HENRY DREYFUS.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER DICKIE. 

